Kelda Jawan stirred slightly. The bed was comfortable, and she was not quite ready to wake up yet. There had been a dream, of that she was certain, but there was nothing left of it but vague and rapidly fading impressions. A thick stone wall, in front of her, cool to the touch...she could remember no more.

She opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she lay still and quiet, and it soon cleared. She was in a small, white room, pleasant daylight streaming in a window. A light blanket covered her legs. Her legs! How were they now? She had nearly been crushed in that tunnel collapse. In fact, she was quite lucky to be alive. Kelda felt no pain now, but knew she was not very strong. Cautiously, almost afraid of what she would find, she peered beneath the sheets. To her infinite relief, her legs were just as they should be. The bacta tank she had no doubt been immersed in had done its work.

There was a sound at the door, and Kelda looked up. A 2-1B medical droid entered the room.

"How are you feeling, Miss Jawan?" it asked in its mechanical voice as it ran a scanner over her, recording her vital signs.

"Tired, but nothing hurts. Where am I, anyway?"

"The Jedi Temple on Alderaan. You seem to have recovered well. Are you hungry? Or is there anything else you need?"

"I...help me up," Kelda decided suddenly. "I want to try to walk."

"Already? Are you sure, Miss Jawan?"

"Of course." Kelda was a trifle impatient. "Help me up." As a medic herself, she knew she was weak, and that her balance would be shaky, but there was no point in waiting, was there? She had to try! She began pushing off the blanket, and the droid quickly moved to her side. Carefully, the young woman swung her legs over the side of the bed and placed her bare feet on the cool floor. She needed the support of 2-1B's mechanical arms as she rose slowly. Her steps were slow and awkward, and by the time she returned to the bed, her leg muscles ached. She could sense somehow, though, that her strength was returning, and she would soon be fully recovered.

Two days later, Kelda had a visitor. The woman, about fifty years old and dressed in Jedi robes, was not familiar to Kelda, but she was glad to see someone besides the med personnel.

"Hello, Kelda. I trust you're feeling better than when I last saw you?" the older woman had a kind, gentle voice.

"When was that?" Kelda was a little embarrassed that she did not recognize the Jedi, though she clearly recognized Kelda.

"Don't worry, I don't expect you to remember." The older woman smiled. "I'm Jedi Master Zerdali Tufu. One of those who found you after the tunnel collapsed on you. Now - you reside on Coruscant, yes?"

"Yes - when I'm not traveling. How did you know?"

"Looked at your ID card. We had to know who we'd rescued, and you weren't up to much talking."

"Oh." Kelda was again slightly embarrassed, this time for not having realized the obvious. She caught a slight motion out of the corner of her eye, and glanced in that direction. The empty glass on her bedside table - had it shifted position? No, she decided, her eyes must be playing tricks on her. Kelda looked up and caught Zerdali giving her a curious look, which quickly shifted into a more neutral expression.

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" the Jedi asked.

"There's not all that much to tell," Kelda shrugged. "I work for a transport company, but we've been known to do some...salvage on the side." She paused slightly, but Zerdali's expression remained one of polite interest. "We had discovered the tunnel system on that planet earlier, and we were coming back for a second look. As we were landing, there was some kind of mechanical failure, and the ship crashed. The others were all killed. I don't know what exactly went wrong - I wasn't in the cockpit at the time. Well, I decided to explore the tunnels a little myself anyway. There was nothing else to do. I had been there three days when you found me. I never really found anything there - just empty rooms."

Zerdali nodded. "I can't express how much we regret your injuries. The Jedi Council will be issuing you a formal apology quite soon, and some compensation as well."

"But why did you blow up the complex in the first place?"

"Well...we had reason to believe it could be dangerous." Which was a cop-out answer if Kelda ever heard one. Zerdali obviously knew much more than she was telling about the true nature of that place.

"But then," thought Kelda, "so do I!"

They made some more small talk, and then Zerdali took her leave, promising to show Kelda around the temple the next day. She also said that a ship would be leaving for Coruscant within the week, and a seat was already reserved for Kelda.

Kelda felt bad about lying to the Jedi. She had been afraid Zerdali would see through it easily, but for some reason she did not. There was every indication that Kelda's story had been accepted at face value. Of course, the bare bones of it were true, but there was much she had not said. Like the fact that their ship had not malfunctioned, but been shot down by the Black Sun criminal organization. Or that the cave complex had been built by the Sith, ancient enemies of the Jedi, presumed extinct. Or that there had been a real, living Sith Lord on the planet, and that he and Kelda had together explored the complex and defeated the Black Sun operatives. Or that she and Lord Maul had not been in each other's company twenty four hours before they wound up in bed together.

Yes, there was much Kelda had not said. And could not say. She felt she owed Maul that much.

She stood to go to the refresher, but had to grab at the bedside table when she overbalanced herself. Damn this weakness! When would it go away?

The glass on the table fairly leapt into the air and crashed to the ground, shattering. Open-mouthed, Kelda quickly glanced around, but of course she was alone in the room. Then what...the movement, she realized, had been perfectly timed with the surge of frustration and annoyance she had experienced. Almost as if...her emotions had triggered it? Impossible! She sat heavily back down on the bed, struggling to understand this turn of events.

Mentally, she felt no different than before. But nothing like this had ever happened to her! What did it mean? Could she learn to control it? Would it go away by itself? There were so many questions...and to get them answered might require revealing more of the truth of her experiences on the uninhabited planet. That she was not ready to do. She pushed the call button on the wall. The med droid would believe she had simply dropped the glass.

That night Kelda had trouble falling asleep, but when it finally overtook her, she dreamed vividly of the Sith Lord. He paced back and forth before her, like a great cat stalking its prey, eyes fixed on her hungrily, deliciously. She reached out, but never succeeded in touching him, for he would take another step and avoid her seeking hands. Suddenly his attention was focused elsewhere, he ignited his lightsaber and stood ready. There was a flash of light of greenish tinge, and Maul seemed to fall to the ground. But when Kelda looked down, he was not there, as though he had been swallowed up by the floor. Kelda was unaccountably frightened, and a loud scraping noise began, like a piece of furniture being pushed roughly across a hard floor.

She woke, her eyes snapping open to reveal the familiarity of her room in the med facility, but the scraping noise continued. She looked around frantically for the source of it, and her eyes fell on her bedside table, now halfway across the room and seemingly moving under its own power. As she watched, the fear created by the dream dissolved into fascination and wonder, and the table slowed its movement and stopped. Kelda collapsed back against the pillow, hand over her forehead. Yesterday a glass, now a table! What's wrong with me?

"This is one of our training rooms."

Kelda peered around the corner of the door Zerdali indicated. Inside the spacious room, two apprentices, a human and a Rodian, were sparring with wooden lightsaber replicas under the watchful eye of another Jedi Master.

"The human is my apprentice, Seth Quillan." The very slight hint of pride in her voice was understandable, as Seth appeared to be gaining the upper hand. "We can watch for a bit, if you like."

Kelda nodded, and they both stepped inside the room. The Rodian, faster on his feet than his appearance suggested, suddenly drove Seth back with a series of blows, which the human only just managed to parry. Kelda found herself getting quite caught up in the match, trying to anticipate what the combatants would do next.

Suddenly Seth swung around in a totally unexpected move, sweeping his weapon toward the Rodian's feet, causing him to go off balance trying to avoid it. The Rodian stumbled, and Seth pressed his advantage, bringing the wooden point to his opponent's throat. Kelda caught her breath in excitement and appreciation of the tactic...and Seth suddenly fell backwards onto his butt as if an invisible hand had pushed him. Seth got up slowly, and the Rodian backed away, both looking equally confused.

"I didn't do anything," said the Rodian, glancing apprehensively toward the two older Jedi.

"Not bad, Seth," said Zerdali with a nod, but her attention was obviously not on him. "Kelda, come with me, please."

Worried, Kelda followed Zerdali out of the room. She didn't even notice, but behind her, the wooden weapon Seth had just set down moved from its place on the rack and fell on the floor. Bewildered, the young man picked it up and replaced it.

Zerdali escorted Kelda into a small meditation chamber. "I'd like to try something. You may sit down, of course."

"Zerdali, I..." Kelda wanted to apologize, but how could she be sorry for something she had no control over?

"Shhhh. I'm not angry with you. Please, sit down and try to relax."

Trying desperately to stay calm, Kelda sat on one of the low platforms on the floor. Zerdali took a seat opposite her, looking intently at her. Finally, the Jedi spoke. "I want you to think about the crash of your ship."

Obediently, Kelda pulled up that mental image. "Your crewmates...they meant a lot to you, yes?"

Sad now from the memory, Kelda nodded. "Especially Rima, the co-pilot. We...we were friends since we were kids." Flashes of time she and Rima had spent together came to her mind, and she felt her eyes start to mist over.

"You must miss her a lot," prompted Zerdali.

"Yes, of course!" cried Kelda suddenly. The door to the chamber flew open and banged against the wall.

"As I thought," murmured Zerdali, rising to close the door again. "I'm sorry for bringing that up, Kelda, but I had to test my theory. You are aware that you caused that?"

"I guess so" replied Kelda, feeling subdued.

"Has it happened before today? Or anything similar?"

"A couple of times, in my room. Once even while I was dreaming."

"But never before you arrived here?"

"No. Can you help me?"

"It should be possible for you to learn to control it. What confuses me more is what caused it." Zerdali looked puzzled. "Were you tested for Jedi potential as an infant?"

Kelda nodded. "Of course. I was born on Coruscant, where it's standard procedure. I was found not to have potential."

"Are any of your relatives Jedi? Or could have been?"

"One of my cousins, yes, but her parents didn't want her trained. She's an...astrodroid programmer now, I believe. Works at Kuat Drive Yards."

Zerdali asked a few more questions about Kelda's previous experience with the Jedi or Jedi culture, and Kelda had to admit she knew little about it. She had, of course, heard the old legends that everyone knew, and as part of her med training she had to have an understanding of what Force-using healers could and could not do. She had referred patients to them on occasion. But that was it. Kelda tried to convince herself that she was not lying when she said this. After all, Zerdali had asked about Jedi - Sith didn't count. Previous experience, indeed! Hurriedly, Kelda suppressed the smile and the thought, but Zerdali was oblivious to the near-indiscretion.

Coruscant - the planet of brilliant lights that formed fantastic patterns on its surface. Thousands of years ago, the entire planet had been covered by city, the buildings now reaching hundreds of stories into the air. Kelda had grown up here. She had been thirteen years old when she had had her first sight of bare ground, that time her family had taken a vacation to the largely rural planet of Dantooine.

Coruscant was her home. But today, Kelda could not summon happiness at seeing it. She was sitting alone in her tiny cabin on the cruiser. Alone, as she had stayed for most of the voyage, keeping to herself. She couldn't risk hurting someone in another emotional/telekinetic outburst. Master Zerdali had worked with her intensively back at the temple, but she still had no measure of control over her mind's antics. Thoroughly puzzled, Zerdali had put her through a series of tests for detecting Force-sensitivity. They had turned up nothing. According to them, Kelda was simply a normal human being. A midichlorian count had been taken as well, and it matched perfectly with the one taken at Kelda's birth - higher than human average, but lower than that of virtually all Jedi. As a last resort, Zerdali had attempted to scan Kelda's mind in hopes of turning up a clue to the cause of the strange affliction. Strangely, though, she had found Kelda's mind completely blocked, shielded so strongly she couldn't get through. Something else Kelda must be doing unconsciously, Zerdali concluded.

The news of Kelda's state had not taken long to spread through the temple. She had felt the stares of some of the younger apprentices, a little frightened, but a little mocking, too. So she isolated herself, suppressed her emotions so as not to do any damage. She now felt empty inside, like there was a deep black hole where her feelings used to be. When they landed, Kelda was to be brought before the Jedi Council, who would decide her fate. Apprehension clouded her thoughts and her bag of things stirred, lifting several inches off the floor. Kelda tried harder to feel nothing. Anyway, she had considered this before. She got the impression that the majority of the Jedi considered her dangerous. The Council would not be cruel to her, she was confident of that, but they were likely to place her in some form of captivity. House arrest, perhaps, or maybe she would have to stay in the temple, until either her "talent" went away by itself or she learned to control it.

But she couldn't control it without being open to the Force, which by all indications she was not. So unless by some miracle this thing proved to be temporary...she could find herself essentially locked up for life. In frustration she slammed her fist into the opposite palm. Unbidden, her bag picked itself up again, this time thudding violently into the bed frame. Tears of shame stung Kelda's eyes and the bed itself began to shake, straining at the bolts holding it to the deck. Desperately she tried to calm herself, and finally the movement stopped. Standing, Kelda walked over to the bed and lay down. Sleep, she told herself. Sleep, and you will feel nothing.

The Council did not seem particularly sympathetic. Kelda stood in the center of their circle as they asked her endless questions on all manner of subjects, from her time spent in the ruins, to her childhood friends, to her physical condition. She took many of the same tests she had taken on Alderaan, with similar results. Even now, she made no mention of Darth Maul, did not change her story about what happened on the planet in any way. The Jedi and the Sith were enemies, she reasoned, and if they knew I had helped one, it would be just one more reason to put me away. In the late evening Mace Windu, leader of the Council, finally called a halt. The Council members would sleep on the issue, he said, discuss it among themselves in the morning, and give Kelda their final decision at noon. Then they all dispersed.

Kelda started to return to her assigned quarters, but realized she was not really tired. No one was there to tell her not to, so she walked the corridors a bit, allowing herself mild admiration of the beautiful architecture. Several times she passed someone in the hall, but gave only a vague nod, not feeling very sociable. The corridor passed through a lounge area, with a large window overlooking the endless cityscape. She went to the glass and stood looking out for a long moment. She was about to turn and continue walking, when she noticed another figure, standing at the other end of the window.

Accustomed as she was to being regarded with wonder, fear, or disapproval, Kelda was surprised when the tall man in the robes of a Jedi regarded her with genuine friendliness.

"Hello there. Are you Kelda Jawan?"

She nodded, a bit hesitantly. "I thought I caught a glimpse of you earlier. I'm Qui-Gon Jinn. It's an honor to meet you."

An honor? Puzzled by his choice of words, she shook the hand he offered. In height, she only came up to the middle of Qui-Gon's chest, and her hand felt lost in his much larger one. "Why an honor?" she made bold to ask.

"You've done very well for yourself, given...the problems which face you."

"You've heard the whole story?"

"Of course. It's rampant." He made a slight grimace, absently pushing back a stray lock of long, gray-streaked hair.

"I should have known." An emotion was stirring inside her, intense loneliness, a desire to confide in someone...she pushed it down, tried once again to ignore it.

"It's been hard for you, hasn't it?" His blue eyes were so perceptive, understanding, sympathetic, and the urge to release her pent-up frustrations became almost overwhelming. Quickly she turned her back to him.

"Master Qui-Gon...no offense to you...but I shouldn't talk about it. If I don't control my feelings...things happen..." Even as she was mentally entreating him to go away, forget this conversation, he stepped closer and placed his hands on her shoulders. The warmth soaked into her achingly. Still with her back to Qui-Gon, she began to speak.

"I'm tired of being seen as a freak - but that's what I am, I guess. Master Zerdali...I thought she was on my side, but she's been cold to me ever since she found she couldn't teach me anything. Her apprentice is just scared of me, since I knocked him on his butt." Qui-Gon chuckled, and Kelda allowed herself a tiny smile.

"But...I heard Zerdali and some other Masters talking. They thought it best to...confine me." Kelda's lower lip began to tremble. "I mean, they'd give me a nice place I'm sure, but I'd have to stay at the temple...I'd never be able to leave. If the Council agrees...I couldn't bear it!" Suddenly the floodgates opened and everything came out at once. Tears gushing down her cheeks, Kelda turned, sobbing, and buried her face in Qui-Gon's tunic. The chairs of the lounge area were no longer still, moving across the floor or through the air in random directions in response to her outburst.

Qui-Gon, however, was not at a loss. He put his arms around Kelda, enveloping her in his comforting presence. Reaching out in the Force, he prevented the furniture from hitting the walls, or himself and Kelda. Saying nothing, he waited for Kelda's crying to cease, then righted the now-still chairs without touching them. He waited for her to break the embrace.

"Feel a little better?" he asked as she stepped back. Sniffing a little, Kelda nodded. It was better, indescribably so. She still had no idea how to solve her problem, but she felt like a real person again, the bleak emptiness of the past week and a half gone. Solicitously, Qui-Gon guided Kelda to a chair, pulling another opposite it for himself. "May I offer my opinion, Kelda?" he asked, leaning forward, elbows propped on his knees.

"Of course. I'd appreciate it."

"It's obvious something happened to you on that planet, beyond the story you've told. You must have some idea what it was."

"Wait a moment." Kelda interrupted. "You can see inside my mind? No one else has been able to."

"I don't need the Force to tell me that," Qui-Gon smiled. "Just simple reasoning. You came back with a mysterious talent you never had before. It had to be triggered by something."

"Master Qui-Gon, I..." Kelda began, but then didn't know what to say. This man seemed so trustworthy, but she still wasn't comfortable telling the whole truth. Yet he was so close to guessing...

"Don't worry, Kelda," Qui-Gon put in hurriedly, raising a hand. "I will not ask you to tell me, though you may if you wish. You've kept it a secret this long, so you must have excellent reasons for doing so."

Kelda relaxed. "Thank you," she answered, very relieved to be dealing, for once, with a more nonjudgmental person. "But...what am I to do? I can't just sit by and let the Council put me away for life!" One of the chairs nudged from its position. Kelda blushed, and the chair moved further.

"Don't worry about it," Qui-Gon reassured her. Then, continuing as if nothing had happened. "Again, I suspect you already have some idea what caused this change. The solution is available to you, though it may be unconscious. You must act independently, put every trust in your instincts. Kelda, the Force is working through you, even if you can't touch it for some reason. It can guide you."

Kelda nodded. "Good advice, but unfortunately I'm working with a deadline. The Council makes its decision at noon tomorrow. It's now..." she glanced at the chrono on the wall, "nine-thirty."

"Well, then," Qui-Gon said briskly, sitting up straighter, "you have no time to waste." Then his voice turned more serious. "If you need to leave the temple, go down to the main dining area. You've been there, haven't you?"

Kelda nodded.

"Go into the kitchens, then out through the supply-loading area. A narrow skywalk will take you around the corner to a public transport station. Here." He was pressing something into her hand. It was money - enough credits to see her around the entire planet by public air shuttle.

"You're sure those doors you mentioned will b open?"

"Trust me - they will be" he answered with a twinkle in his eye.

They stood, and Qui-Gon again shook Kelda's hand warmly. "I think you will find your own path, Kelda. May the Force be with you."

"And with you. Thank you so much..." There was so much more she could have said, but the extraordinary man was already several long steps down the hallway, and Kelda had to content herself with staring after him, a smile on her face.

Qui-Gon had said...the solution was available, but may be unconscious. Well, how was she to access her unconscious mind? No one, that she knew of, could scan her, and neither did she want anyone to. Well, what about her dreams? Kelda cursed the time limit imposed on her by the Council. How could she just dream on command? But she had no other ideas, so it was worth a shot.

Quickly, but trying not to look like she was hurrying, Kelda went to her guest quarters, dimmed the lights, and set the chrono to wake her in ninety standard minutes. That was one sleep cycle. If a little of that time was used to fall asleep, she should wake just as the dream- if she had one- was ending, the better to remember it.

She lay back carefully, hands just lightly resting on her stomach. A few deep breaths, and she began to focus on the subject she wished to dream about - Darth Maul. He was the key to this. She recalled every detail about him that she could; his appearance, actions, voice, and facial expressions. Kelda clung to those thoughts like an anchor as she drifted into sleep.

She woke an hour and a half later to the soft beeping of the alarm, right on schedule. At first she was intensely disappointed that she could not remember a dream, then realized that there was a particular place fixed in her mind, for no apparent reason. It was a club called The Underworld, small, loud, and crowded. She and her friend Rima had gone there occasionally, when they were on Coruscant. Why would she think of that place now?

Well, I have no other leads, certainly, thought Kelda. The only thing to do is to go there and find out. She slipped from her bed, checked briefly in the mirror to make sure her appearance was acceptable, made sure the money Qui-Gon had given her was in her pocket, and left the room, shutting the door very quietly behind her.

All was as Qui-Gon had said. The door to the kitchens was open, and across that dark, cavernous space was the dimly lit corridor to the loading area. Kelda went out the exterior door, down the skywalk, around the corner, and stood, slightly chilly, waiting for a shuttle going in the appropriate direction to arrive. She shivered as a gust of wind blew down the canyon between buildings. Weather on Coruscant was often unpredictable, varying over extremely short distances in the man-made landscape. The lights of vehicles whizzed by, and finally a southbound public shuttle pulled over to the stop. Kelda stepped on and paid the fare, still unsure what she hoped to accomplish on this trip. But there was nothing to do but trust that it would become more clear when she got there.

Two transfers and a short one-block walk later, she stood before the front door of The Underworld. Inside, the place was packed with beings of a hundred different species, drinking, gyrating on the dance floor, absorbed in various games, or trying to have conversations, all surrounded by smoke and loud, throbbing music. It was exactly like countless other small clubs on the planet. Once again Kelda wondered why she had come here. Slipping between groups of people, she gradually made her way to the bar. She saw a few people she recognized, greeted them as she passed, but kept moving, eyes searching the crowd for...for whatever she was looking for. Or whoever.

Kelda had reached the bar now, and of course there was no place to sit. She stood, sandwiched between patrons, and scanned the dance floor and then those sitting at the bar.

A sudden movement to her right caught her eye. Turning her head, she saw a woman not too far from her stumble, then catch herself before falling. She was obviously drunk, and wearing dangerously high heels. Kelda started to turn away, then did a double take. A ring of small, pointed, horns stood out through the woman's brown hair. She was a Zabrakian, just like...

No, surely there couldn't be a connection...could there? Zabrakians weren't common on Coruscant, but the odds against this one knowing the one she sought were pretty high. Still...

Idly she continued to watch the tall woman as she ordered a drink at the bar, then made her way to a somewhat quieter corner. There she approached another figure, small, inconspicuous, dressed in dark colors. The Zabrakian woman leaned over the man, showing off generous cleavage, and said something. The man shook his head and turned away from her, giving Kelda a glimpse of his face...it was covered with red and black patterns, and his eyes were like red-yellow fire as they met hers for just a second...

Kelda gasped. It was him! It couldn't possibly be anyone else! She began to fight her way through the crowd toward the corner, the loud beat of the music emphasizing her urgency. She lost sight of him and cursed out loud, wishing she was taller. Finally she reached the place where he had been - and he was not there! The stool he had been sitting on was now occupied by the female Zabrakian, nursing her drink and rejection. Letting out a sigh of frustration, Kelda turned around in place, but there was no sign of him.

All right, Kelda. Think. He's still here somewhere. It might be best to stand by the door, catch him when he leaves. Yes, that was it. She was about to make her way toward the entrance when a hand descended heavily on her shoulder.

"Looking for someone, little one?" Darth Maul's black-silk voice sent chills down Kelda's spine, even in the hot, crowded air of the club, and she tried unsuccessfully to muffle a little scream. Recovering, she turned, her face necessarily close to his.

"Let's go where we can talk," she said in his ear. She felt "butterflies" in her stomach. Damn, he was already having an effect on her.

Apparently oblivious, he gave a small nod and gestured to a door in the corner. Beyond the door was a narrow service corridor. Kelda walked far enough down it so that the club noise was muffled, then turned to face Maul. He leaned against the wall, arms folded, eyeing her critically. His clothing was nondescript, shirt, pants, and lighter-weight boots than she had seen him in a month ago. Everything black, of course. His head was bare, but even with horns and tattooed face he had been far from the most unusual being in the club.

Kelda took a breath, preparatory to speaking, but found she did not know where to begin. As she tried to organize her thoughts, Maul just stood there expectantly.

"Talk, then," he finally said, impatient. Kelda would have loved to wipe that arrogant look off his face, but since she couldn't, she settled for explaining her reason for coming to him.

"Lord Maul," she began formally, trying to set an impersonal tone she prayed she would have the strength to stick to. "I've changed since you saw me last. I have telekinetic...episodes...that I can't control whenever I have strong feelings of any kind. I think either you caused this, or you know what did. I want an explanation."

"Don't give me orders," he replied, softly, dangerously, his eyes smoldering. "Only my master has that right." He turned from her, but she quickly stepped into his path again.

"I was questioned by the Jedi Council itself and didn't tell them anything. You owe me this much!"

"I owe you nothing!" He took a menacing step forward and slapped her across the cheek with the flat of his hand. He was so quick, Kelda never saw the blow coming, and it hit her full force, causing her to stagger a step. Her cheek felt as if it were on fire, and her ears rang.

Anger boiled up inside her as she raised her eyes to look at Maul again. She knew he was infinitely stronger than her but didn't care in the least - she wanted to kill him, no more, no less! But she had no time to launch herself at him, for the unconscious force of her anger picked the Sith Lord up off his feet and slammed him into the plascrete wall with a resounding thud. That impact, plus the heavy fall to the floor, would have been enough to injure an ordinary human, but Maul picked himself up again immediately. He made no further move toward Kelda, but merely looked at her intently, as though he really _saw_ her for the first time.

"See what I mean?" Kelda asked in a challenging tone,

"Interesting." Maul's expression began to shade into amusement.

"Come with me. And," he wasn't amused anymore, "don't do that again." His tone promised a dire fate if she did.

"I told you I have no control over it," muttered Kelda as she followed in his wake.

Unexpectedly, Maul did not go back through the club, but in the opposite direction, deeper into the building. A couple of twists and turns later, they were in a larger corridor, where there was a lift, which they took several floors up. Off the lift, Maul went to the nondescript door straight ahead of them, spoke his name into the voiceprint identifier at the side of it, and the door slid silently open. Beyond was a bare, high-ceilinged antechamber. Maul indicated one of the three doorways leading off it.

"This is where I stay," he said shortly, with no expression in his voice. "Lights," he added, and they came on.

Curiously, Kelda peered around the room, trying not to appear too obvious, but Maul allowed her to look. In the center of the room was a smallish table with two chairs, completely bare. Along one wall was a long desk with shelves above it and another chair. The desk and shelves were covered with various electronics components, and there was a diagram of something spread out on the desk. The relative disorder here, however, did not extend to the other parts of the room. On the other wall was a holovid player and more shelves with vids and quite a few print books on them. Kelda stepped a little closer to scan the titles. Many were martial arts-related. A few on military history. Instruction manuals for various gadgets. A thick print book on Iridonian art history. Some more books in a language she didn't recognize.

"Finished inspecting my quarters?" Maul asked. Kelda jumped at the sound of his voice. She'd nearly forgotten he was there.

"Almost," she said casually. You could tell a lot about a person from their living space. Maul kept his neat, with a minimum of material objects. He did have taste, however, Kelda thought as she noted the two small paintings on the wall, depicting strange animals that might be native to his homeworld - or perhaps purely fanciful.

Maul stepped in front of Kelda, impatiently, directing her attention toward him. "When I met you, I knew you weren't strong in the Force, but there was still something unusual about you. I think that your exposure to the Sith ruins brought abilities to the surface that were buried before." He paused. "Joining with me didn't hurt either."

Unexpectedly, Kelda felt herself blushing, and one of those gorgeous paintings began to swing out of place. With a soft growl Maul flung out his hand and it resumed its correct position. "_Don't_ do that."

"Can you help me or not?" Kelda was herself impatient, and wanted to change the subject.

"If I remove your mental shielding, you should have more control."

"You_can_ remove it? Just like that? The Jedi Masters couldn't."

Maul gave a derisive snarl. "I put them in place, I can remove them. I couldn't risk anyone seeing me in your mind."

He took a step towards Kelda and placed his hands lightly at her temples, looking fixedly into her eyes for a moment. Then...something inside Kelda seemed to loosen, to let go. It was like relaxing a muscle she hadn't realized was tense, and her senses felt curiously sharpened. There was a sense of presence near her, solid, dark, and real. At first she didn't know what it could be, then realized she was feeling Maul's presence in the Force.

The sudden connection was a little overwhelming, and Kelda felt slightly weak. "May I use your refresher?" she asked, avoiding Maul's eyes.

He took a step backward and indicated one of the three doors in the room, not following Kelda as she made her way towards it. Maul's bedroom was beyond it, stark and undecorated, nothing there but a bed, closet, and a narrow mirror. The refresher was on the other side of the bedroom. Kelda shut the door and leaned against the sink, splashing a little cool water on her face.

So this was what it was like, Kelda thought. Even out of sight of Maul, there was a sense of...immediacy between them, not necessarily uncomfortable, just umfamiliar. The thought came unbidden to Kelda's mind - if it were like this now, what would it be like if they were... She felt the mental equivalent of a smirk, and it didn't come from herself.

I heard that, little one.

Don't be so damn proud of yourself she shot back.

It took her a moment to realize that even though she was mad, nothing flew from its position or even wobbled. Hmmmm. Interesting, but in a good way. Kelda stood in the refresher a moment longer, but she couldn't hide there forever. With a deep breath she opened the door, looking around cautiously.

Maul lounged casually in the bedroom doorway, calmly confident, gazing at her like a predator who knows he has trapped his prey and wants to savor the moment. Kelda's heart beat faster, and not in fear, but still she crossed her arms in an unfriendly posture, and made as if to leave the room. Infuriatingly, though, he did not move from his stance.

"Well?" Kelda asked impatiently.

Maul did not answer in words, but a tendril of thought snaked into Kelda's mind, a memory, of them together in Maul's ship, a month ago now. It was followed by a couple more very...appealing images, but these were things that hadn't happened - yet.

Something seemed to snap, and she could no longer suppress the wave of heat welling up inside her. "Oh, hell," she said out loud, and in a quick movement pushed Maul against the doorframe, flattening her body against his, hauling his head around for a kiss. She felt his surprise at the speed of her response, but he was not one to remain surprised for long. He crushed her against him, his mouth bruising hers. The taste of his kiss and the feel of his hard muscles were delightful, but unfortunately he was hampering her efforts to get his shirt off. She wanted desperately to feel his bare skin under her hands!

He sensed her frustration and loosened his hold a little. Kelda began to undo the buttons, kissing her way down his chest - obsidian black with red patterns, hairless, silky smooth, perfectly defined achingly beautiful, just as before. She shifted to flick her tongue over one nipple, vividly sensing his pleasure at the contact. He bent his head to kiss her upturned cheek and bite her earlobe.

Kelda worked her way lower, dropping to her knees. "I want to taste you," she murmured, nuzzling him through the fabric of his pants as she undid his waistband. She freed his erection and pushed down his pants, caressing his perfectly shaped rear with light fingers. Rubbing her nose and cheeks lightly against his member, she inhaled deeply of his intimate, masculine scent, his anticipation almost a tangible thing in the air around her. She licked the tip softly, teasing him. The fluid that collected there was the color of honey and tasted just very faintly sweet.

Maul tangled his hands into Kelda's hair and pulled her head closer, as if to remind her who was in charge here. Obligingly she took in as much of his length as she could, but then thought slyly up at him Oh? Then why do you need to feel my mouth so badly?

He snarled as he pulled her to her feet, fastened his mouth on her neck, sucking a particularly sensitive spot, his hands unceremoniously removing her clothing. Kelda threw back her head and moaned as one hand slid between her legs.

He took a step toward the bed, pulling Kelda with him, but both their pants were around their ankles and they got rather tangled up. Maul cursed as they both fell untidily onto the bed, then kicked off his own pants and boots. Kelda did the same; she was just marginally faster and pounced on him, straddling him, kissing his face, neck, and chest. His hungry, lustful gaze sent tremors through her, and his thoughts told her in no uncertain terms how much he wanted to be inside her, how good that slick, warm tightness would feel.

"All right, then," she smiled at him. His large hands were warm on her hips, guiding her as she lowered herself onto him. The breath caught roughly in Maul's throat and he moaned loudly.

I'm glad you're enjoying this Kelda thought in his direction. Then she was beyond the use of words as she felt his pleasure through their link, added to her own. She began to move, slowly, as slowly as she could bear to. His hands came up to cup her breasts, pinch the nipples lightly, then descend over her stomach to her most sensitive place. Mentally he was urging her to move faster, straining his hips toward her, gripping her tightly. Her control was slipping away fast, victim to the double sensations she was receiving.

Suddenly, Maul pulled Kelda toward him and rolled them both over. He was on top now, his thrusts rough and urgent. Kelda cried out his name with voice and mind as he pushed her over the edge, and he bit his own lip hard enough to draw blood as he spent himself within her. He collapsed forward, a heavy weight on her chest.

When he finally pushed himself off her, Kelda turned onto her side, facing away from him, not expecting any more attention, based on previous experience. To her surprise, he spooned her, tucked an arm possessively around her waist, and nibbled briefly on her ear.

"You're mine, little one," he whispered.

She turned toward him slightly and gave his head a quick caress, pausing to fondle a horn. "I think you're _mine_ , my lord."

The only answer was a soft growl of amused disapproval. Kelda smiled, closed her eyes, and relaxed into the warm presence behind her. She was just beginning to doze off when she felt his hand slide over her breasts again, tweaking the nipples into hardness. He pressed closer to her, nipping at the back of her neck, his shaft firm against her hip. "Again?" she murmured sleepily.

His voice was a hiss in her ear. "You're in my bed - I'll do what I like with you," he said, turning her over onto her back.

"I cannot train you," Maul was saying the next morning. "There can only be two Sith - one master and one apprentice."

"But the Jedi won't train me either - I'm too old, plus I'd have to explain everything. There's nothing you can teach me?"

Maul looked up from his breakfast. Kelda had already eaten while Maul was doing his morning exercises, and now she stood at the window, watching the slow rain fall.

"You should learn to shield your own mind."

Kelda turned to look at him.

"You were broadcasting very loudly last night. Good thing my master is off-planet." He leered at her, and Kelda blushed to her ears and turned away, crossing her arms defensively.

She was quiet for a moment, then finally turned back to him. "Well, if no one will train me, I'll have to train myself."

Maul looked at her skeptically.

"And why shouldn't I want to use my abilities to the fullest?" Kelda began to pace slowly, thinking aloud about the repercussions of this decision. "It would be best if I just quietly disappear, I think. I'll need an out-of-the-way place to stay while I practice - that means not on Coruscant - but where?"

"Here," said Maul, going to the shelves and activating a holographic star map. "Naboo. My master's homeworld." He entered the command to display the information about the planet. "Several large cities, but plenty of wilderness to lose yourself in. And nothing especially dangerous," he glanced sidelong at her.

"I can take care of myself," muttered Kelda fiercely.

"I'll take you there," said Maul unexpectedly. Kelda stared at him, wondering if she had heard him right.

"So you'll know where I am?" she challenged, guessing at his motive.

"My reasons are my own," and he stalked into the bedroom to pull on his boots, his mental shields tightly down.

A week later, Kelda had settled into a tiny cabin on a wooded Naboo hillside. There was a small villlage about an hour's walk away, and from the top of the hill the capital city, Theed, was just barely visible on the horizon. Kelda sat at her table, holding a holo cube in front of her. After taking a moment to consider what she wanted to say, she pressed the "record" button.

"Hello, Master Qui-Gon. I hope this finds you well. I want you to know that I took your advice and am trying to find my own path. Thank you for giving me the courage to do this. Please don't try to find me, but know that I am well and happy." She pressed "End recording", then packaged the recorder and addressed it to Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Jedi Temple, Coruscant. No return address. She would arrange for it to be sent next time she was in the village - it wouldn't cost too much, and it was the best way to get the message to Qui-Gon without him knowing where it came from.

That task done, she moved to a small mat on the floor and took up a meditation posture. Before her on the floor she placed a small stone. Kelda stared at the stone and concentrated as hard as she could, feeling like her eyeballs might start from her head. The stone drifted up several inches from the floor. Breathing harder already from the effort, Kelda lowered it slowly. Leaning her head against the wall, Kelda felt as tired as if she had physically lifted a very heavy weight. But she had done it. She had moved the stone voluntarily, with her mind and the power of the Force alone. She would continue to practice, and she would improve.

And Darth Maul...next time she saw him, she would be able to do much more than just shield her mind. She would be someone to be reckoned with, and he would not mock her efforts again!